Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2017 25 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY BRYAN DRISKELL N otre Dame had an incred- ibly disappointing season on the field in 2016, finish- ing with a 4-8 record de- spite beginning the year as a preseason top-10 team. At one point, the Irish had a top-10 recruit- ing class, but the on-field struggles resulted in a dismantling of that once promising haul. After hiring five new assistant coaches, head coach Brian Kelly and his staff rebounded well, finishing the class off with six additional play- ers, all added within the last week of the recruiting cycle. Notre Dame was able to end a rough year on a strong note, adding quality talent and depth to the roster. Blue & Gold Illustrated graded the group of signees under the following criteria: A — Playoff Contention B — Top-10 Viability C — Top-25 Viability D — Trying To Be Bowl Eligible QUARTERBACK Signed: Avery Davis Meeting Needs: There was always a possibility that Notre Dame would enter the 2017 campaign without veterans DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire, which meant the Irish had to land a quarterback with the potential to start down the road. Summary: Notre Dame initially targeted Brownsburg (Ind.) High five-star Hunter Johnson, but he picked Tennessee before ultimately signing with Clemson. At that point, then-quarterbacks coach Mike San- ford made Davis his top priority. Fol- lowing an unofficial visit to campus in March, Davis made his pledge to the Irish and never wavered. On Paper Grade: B- Davis was a highly productive player for Cedar Hill (Texas) High, passing for more than 5,000 yards and rushing for more 1,000 yards while accounting for 82 touchdowns the last two seasons. He possesses a strong arm and is a dynamic athlete. He is undersized (5-11, 185) and unrefined mechanically, so he will need time to harness his talent at Notre Dame. If he can do that, Davis has the run-throw ability to be a difference maker. Fortunately, the presence of junior Brandon Wimbush and sopho- more Ian Book should give Davis the time he needs to develop. RUNNING BACK Signed: C.J. Holmes Meeting Needs: Notre Dame needed to land an impactful ball car- rier that could work himself onto the field early in his career, and it accom- plished that objective. Summary: Notre Dame's primary targets were Holmes, four-star Co- lin Wilson (who signed with Louis- ville) and underrated three-star Deon Jackson (Duke). Holmes was the top target, and he gave the Irish a silent commitment at the Irish Invasion in June. He went public with that commit- ment in July at the Nike Football The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Ore., picking the Irish over Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee. On Paper Grade: B Holmes gave the Irish the impact running back it desired in this class. He's a dual-threat athlete that graded out as a four-star at both running back and wide receiver. His slashing style will fit Notre Dame's zone schemes well, and his ability to catch the ball should allow him to complement 2016 signee Tony Jones Jr. quite nicely. WIDE RECEIVER Signed: Jafar Armstrong and Mi- chael Young Meeting Needs: Despite signing Javon McKinley, Chase Claypool and Kevin Stepherson last season, Notre Dame still had depth concerns at wide receiver. The Irish wanted to sign at least two receivers in the class, but preferred to bring in three. One of those pickups needed to be a slot figure on the inside. Ultimately, Notre Dame brought in a quality haul, but it fell one player short of expectations. Summary: Prior to the on-field meltdown, Notre Dame seemed poised to put together one of the na- tion's top hauls. The Irish were in good shape with a number of four- star standouts, including Tarik Black (who signed with Michigan), Heze- kiah Jones (Texas A&M), Trey Blount (Georgia), Osiris St. Brown (Stanford) and Young. Each of those players vis- ited Notre Dame, but in the end only Young signed with the Irish. Notre Dame did receive a summer commitment from three-star Jordan Pouncey, but he decommitted follow- ing the season and ultimately signed with Texas. He was replaced by Arm- strong, who graded out higher. On Paper Grade: B- Young was the top slot receiver target, and landing him was a major pickup. He is quite physical despite his stature (5-10, 170) and is a top-notch athlete. He's a savvy route runner, but can also do damage after the catch. Armstrong was a prolific pass catcher, hauling in 3,744 yards in his career and setting a Kansas high school record with 45 career touch- down receptions. He lacks the stat- ure and explosiveness of some of the early targets, but he's a quality target for any quarterback. TIGHT END Signed: Cole Kmet and Brock Wright Meeting Needs: Notre Dame wanted two top-notch tight ends in the 2017 class, and it met those needs by October 2015. The Irish staff was so pleased with that early haul that it chose to pass on tight ends in the 2016 class. ENDING STRONGLY Despite many obstacles, Notre Dame added a talented group of players with the 2017 class Joshua Lugg proved he is one of the nation's premier offensive tackles with a dominant perfor- mance at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM